I am not a supporter for "Marijuana Reform" (Nor am I opposed, I really don't have an opinion ) but I do see this as further evidence that our freedoms are being challenged.
** DEA Uses RAVE Act to Stop a Benefit to Raise Money for Marijuana Reform
**Fax the DEA and Tell Acting Administrator William Simpkins to Stop Using
the RAVE Act Against Political Events
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=19829&l=2008
Only two months after the RAVE Act was passed by Congress it has been used
by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to intimidate the
owners of a Billings, Montana, venue into canceling a combined benefit for
the Montana chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana
Laws (NORML) and Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP). One of the
biggest reasons the Drug Policy Alliance waged a national campaign to stop
the RAVE Act was that we feared it would be used to shut down political
events like this.
On the day the fundraiser was set to take place a Billings-based DEA agent
presented the venue owners with a copy of the RAVE Act warning them that
they could face a fine of $250,000 if illicit drugs were found in the
premises. The bands - most of which regularly played at the venue - were
also approached and warned that their participation in the event could
result in a fine.
Rather than risk the possibility of enormous fines, the venue decided to
cancel the event. This blatant intimidation by the DEA was obviously
designed to shut down the marijuana reform fundraiser. Unless the American
people speak out against this attack on free speech, the DEA will be
emboldened to use the law against other events they do not like, such as
all-night dance parties, hip hop concerts, hemp festivals, and circuit
parties.
Join the Drug Policy Alliance, National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and numerous other
organizations in our campaign to pressure the DEA to stop using the RAVE Act
to shut down political events.
ACTIONS TO TAKE
1) Fax the DEA. Urge Acting Administrator William Simpkins to stop
using
the RAVE Act to harass innocent business owners and stifle free speech.
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=19829&l=2008
2) Forward this alert to friends and family. Send it to e-mail lists
and
post it in chat rooms.
BACKGROUND
Sponsored by Senator Biden (D-DE), the RAVE Act (also known as the Illicit
Drug Anti-Proliferation Act) was first introduced last year. It proved so
controversial then that two of its original co-sponsors withdrew their
support because they feared it would send innocent business owners to jail.
Business owners collected over 20,000 signatures in opposition to the bill.
Protests against it were held around the country and tens of thousands of
voters urged their elected official to oppose it. Controversy over the bill
stalled it last year, but Senator Biden attached it to the popular
"Amber Alert" bill without public debate or a vote of Congress earlier this
year
and snuck it into law.
The RAVE Act expands federal law to make it easier to jail and imprison
event organizers and property owners that fail to stop drug offenses from
occurring on their property - even in cases when they take serious steps to
reduce drug offenses. It applies to "any place", including bars and
nightclubs, hotels, apartment buildings, and homes. Legal experts warned
that the law was so broad that it could be used to shut down not only raves
and electronic music events, but also Hip Hop, rock, and country music
concerts, sporting events, gay and lesbian fundraisers, political protests,
and any other event federal agents do not like.
On May 30th an agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) told
managers of the Eagle Lodge in Billings, Montana that the Lodge could be
fined $250,000 if anyone smoked marijuana during a planned benefit to raise
money for a campaign to change Montana's medical marijuana law. After
consulting their attorneys, the Eagle Lodge canceled the event.
For more information on the RAVE Act see:
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=19829&l=1989
For more information on the DEA and the Eagle Lodge see:
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=19829&l=1990
